Towards a wireless powering and interrogation strategy for rotorcraft health monitoring

Structural health monitoring is the implementation of a damage detection and condition assessment strategy for a structural system with goals of cost savings in maintenance and operations and/or life safety improvement. In rotorcraft applications, it is well-known that excessive rotor vibrations correlate well with fatigue and wear, which subsequently increase total life cycle costs. Monitoring rotor component (e.g., the pitch link) vibration levels in-situ could readily lead to mitigation strategies and better overall life cycle management. The cyclic rotor operating conditions in the rotating frame of reference present unique challenges that appear well-suited for a completely wireless solution. In this paper, we discuss how these challenges may be addressed by both wireless powering and interrogation.